Charity seen as important at home and abroad

U.S. residents factor charity into their daily lives, whether on vacation or at home, says a survey done by TripAdvisor as part of its “More than Footprints” philanthropic initiative.

While more than four in 10 U.S. residents say the credit crisis will affect the amount they donate to charity this year, about the same number say they go out of their way to do business with companies that donate to charity.

And more than four in 10 say a presidential candidate’s charitable work and giving will impact their vote.

Almost three in 10 U.S. residents say they have volunteered for charity while on vacation, and nearly nine in 10 say they volunteer in their own communities.

“The survey shows that people want to get involved with volunteering on vacation, and that charity is a very important topic, even influencing their vote for the U.S. president,” Steve Kaufer, founder and CEO of TripAdvisor, an online travel community, says in a statement.